Aroha d’Yusuf

I can’t think of an oud more beloved than Oud Yusuf. It’s easily the most praised, talked about, enjoyed, and oft-recommended oud I know of.

Even folks who have an extensive collection of high caliber oils consider Oud Yusuf in their top tier.

So, you can imagine what a smokey batch of Oud Yusuf would do to you—and what an indispensable accessory note it would be in your atelier…

I never thought of offering Aroha d’Yusuf privately, never mind publicly. But that’s what 2020 does to you.

During this time, we’re sharing things we would probably never have shared otherwise. We’re connecting in new ways—feel more connected in these new ways, during a time of heightened isolation.

So, I guess that’s what I’m doing here, almost involuntarily. Because we’re all in this together. I’m inviting you into my atelier and giving you a whiff of the oddities I keep there.

So, feast your nose on this:

Imagine Oud Yusuf—but its apricot sweetness drenched in smoke. An oud that picks fresh lilacs, diffuses them through a jinkoh incense coil, and dips them in a honeydew cocktail laced with the sweetness of raw resin.

When I say ‘smokey’, don’t think Aroha Kyaku’s in-your-face blast of smoke. Instead, I won’t blame you for thinking of smooth dark chocolate with goji berries when you take your first whiff. Almost like the contrasting sweetness you get from adding jello to chocolate mouse. A delectable, smoky chord that makes you want to do more than just smell it.

What made Oud Yusuf so universally appealing is its beautiful fusion of florals and fruits. Aroha d’Yusuf casts those qualities on full display—but filtered through this cacao-esque tobacco montage that I’ll reduce to ‘smokey’. And, I know this is a big claim, but with this mouthwatering smokey tinge I think Oud Yusuf fans will like this jacked-up edition as much—or more—than the original.

And for all the same reasons that make Oud Yusuf so lovable.

Injecting this smokey nuance into oud oil is, for many distillers, a life-long pursuit. Like how many are still trying to figure out how we make Oud Extraordinaire, I know distillers who have destroyed their pots trying to capture a quality smokey oud—one where it’s not just this crass, burnt smack of smoke that kills all the other notes along the way, but a tasteful shade of smoke that retains, and enhances, the other notes.

So, lilacs—yes! Honeydew, apricot, peach, and all the floral-fruity goodness that makes Oud Yusuf—yes! All of that…… with added flavor.

The chance to experience smells like this come around once-in-a-lifetime. Many of those who have smelled Oud Yusuf have also smelled many many Thai ouds to compare it to. And nothing compares…